Compression garment

ABSTRACT

A casual exercise or medical compression garment is provided. The garment is a combination of outer pants and a compression undergarment that is attached to the outer pants around the waistband. The compression undergarment extends from the wearer&#39;s waist downwardly to a point below the wearer&#39;s knee in one embodiment, below the heel in another embodiment, or adjacent a wearer&#39;s toes in yet another embodiment, and is manufactured from a comfortable, stretchable material that provides support to the wearer&#39;s midriff, hip and buttocks. The outer pants may also be made from a stretchable material, and in use, may hang freely and loosely below a wearer&#39;s waist in contrast to the tight-fitting compression undergarment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/888,763, filed on Sep. 23, 2010, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/657,717, filed on Jan. 26, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to exercise and medical compression garments. More specifically, the present invention relates to exercise pants having a compression undergarment attached thereto. The outer pants are preferably made from a stretchable, comfortable material in the style of yoga pants. The compression undergarment is attached to the outer pants at the waist (in a preferred embodiment), and is also made of a stretchable material. Unlike other composite exercise pants that are currently being marketed, the undergarment of the present invention extends from a wearer's waist to a position below the knees in one embodiment, and below the heel in another embodiment. Such an arrangement prevents unsightly panty lines, and provides the wearer with a comfortable garment that accentuates the wearer's figure. The instant garment may be worn for exercise, for medical purposes, or simply for general or casual use. Additionally, the use of compression undergarments that extend below the knee offer certain physical benefits, such as reduced soreness after exercising.

Heretofore, many different garments have been proposed and commercialized that are specifically suited for physical exercise and medical compression. One particularly popular type of exercise garment is an undergarment made from a stretchable material, which provides for midriff, hip and buttock support. Such undergarments have the advantage of being comfortable and supportive, while being flexible enough to allow the wearer to engage in strenuous physical activity without hindering the wearer's movement. However, one disadvantage to such undergarments is that many people feel the need to wear an additional garment (such as yoga pants) over the tight-fitting undergarment so that the overall appearance of their outfit is less revealing than simply wearing the undergarment alone. Wearing two separate garments is undesirable in many situations, especially involving physical exercise, because of a lack of comfort. Additionally, other types of exercise pants have been used, including pants having a built-in brief style panty attached thereto. The problem associated with this type of exercise garment is that the panty lines tend to show through the outer pants, which is undesirable.

Further, there are a number of commercially available garments that provide compression of varying degrees, covering various aspects of the body from toes to waist in various configurations, for medical purposes. These products are generally marketed through medical channels, and are directed toward correcting or compensating for physiological, post-operative or disease state problems that are usually expected to be ongoing. Medical compression garments offer benefits to many post-operative situations, such as those associated with phlebitis, liposuction, reconstructive plastic surgery, and can assist the patient in augmenting early mobilization and a return to normal activities. Additionally, medical compression garments may be used as a preventive measure against aging in the vascular, neurologic and musculoskeletal systems (which may lead to impaired maintenance of blood vessels, lymphatics, muscle cells, connective tissues, bones, cartilage, and neural tissues). However, none of the prior art includes a garment having a compression undergarment suitable for medical purposes, which is attached at a waist portion to a free-hanging, loose outer pant.

Thus, there is a need for exercise or medical compression pants having a compression undergarment attached around the waistband, wherein the undergarment extends from a wearer's waist downwardly below the level of the wearer's knee.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a casual exercise or medical compression garment that is a combination of outer pants and a compression undergarment that is attached to the outer pants around the waistband. The compression undergarment extends from the wearer's waist downwardly to a point below the wearer's knee in one embodiment, and below the heel in another embodiment, and is manufactured from a comfortable, stretchable material that provides support to the wearer's midriff, hip and buttocks. The outer pants may also be made from a stretchable material, and may have the appearance of yoga style pants. This garment has the advantage of being comfortable, supportive, and aesthetically pleasing because it eliminates unsightly panty lines. The garment may also include a wide waistband that may be worn in an upward position (extending over a wearer's stomach and lower back), or may be worn in a downward position (extending over a wearer's buttocks and hips). The undergarment fits tightly against the wearer's body, while the outer pants hang more loosely from the waistband, similarly to casual or yoga pants. The undergarment is made from a uniform fabric throughout, in a preferred embodiment, and the outer pants are also made from a uniform fabric throughout. It is contemplated that the undergarment and the outer pants may be made from the same fabric, or from two different fabrics (one fabric for the undergarment and a second fabric for the outer pants).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the casual exercise or medical compression garment;

FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of the casual exercise or medical compression garment shown in use by a wearer;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment of the casual exercise or medical compression garment shown in use by a wearer, wherein the undergarment extends past the wearer's heel to a point adjacent the wearer's toes; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of one embodiment of the casual exercise or medical compression garment shown in use by a wearer, wherein the undergarment extends downwardly and includes a stirrup that is positioned below a wearer's heel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of a casual exercise or medical compression garment 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The garment 10 includes an outer pant member 12 and a compression undergarment 14. In a preferred embodiment, the compression undergarment 14 is attached to the outer pant 12 at the waistband 16, and hangs freely within the outer pant member 12 therebelow. The compression undergarment 14 is made from a stretchable material, and is a tight fitting component of the garment that is used to support the midriff, hips and buttocks of the user. Preferably, the compression undergarment 14 extends from a wearer's waist downwardly to a point below the wearer's knees.

The compression undergarment 14 is manufactured from a uniform material, in a preferred embodiment, that is stretchable, supportive, and comfortable. Optionally, the exercise garment 10 may also include a waist foldover 18 that may be worn in an upward position (extending over a wearer's stomach and lower back), or may be worn in a downward position (extending over a wearer's buttocks and hips like a mini-skirt).

The outer pant member 12 is also preferably manufactured from a uniform material, although the material of the outer pant member may be different than the material used for the compression undergarment 14. The outer pant member 12 is meant to fit more loosely around the wearer's body than the tight fitting undergarment 14, and may extend to a wearer's ankle in one embodiment. Because the outer pant member 12 is attached at the waistband 16 to the undergarment 14, neither component may “ride up” or become uncomfortably displaced with respect to the other component. The outer pant member 12 is preferably manufactured from a stretchable material that allows a wearer to engage in strenuous physical exercise or activity without their movement being in any way hindered by the garment.

As an example, the outer pant member 12 may be made from a circular knit fabric that includes a blend of nylon and spandex with a weight of 8.8 ounces per square yard, and the compression undergarment 14 may be made from a nylon warp knit including a blend of nylon and spandex with a weight of 6.7 ounces per square yard. Preferably, the compression undergarment 14 features increased wicking properties for enhanced moisture management, which is particularly desirable for exercise activities. Of course, it is contemplated that other suitable fabrics may be utilized.

This arrangement provides a wearer with enough support to maintain a flattering body shape, while providing comfort and an aesthetically pleasing appearance by preventing unsightly panty lines. Additionally, wearers of compression garments have routinely reported a reduction in post exercise soreness. Although the garment 10 is described as being useful for exercise activities, it should be noted that the instant garment 10 may also be worn for casual social functions and similar social activities.

It is advantageous to have the compression undergarment 14 extend below the knees, particularly with respect to benefits provided during physical exercise, or generally accepted medical benefits derived from wearing compression garments. Various studies have shown that wearing compression garments during physical exercise is a medically accepted way to relieve minor or more serious leg pain related to swelling, venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins or other conditions.

Typically, after a medical or surgical procedure, bed rest or severely limited activities are recommended for only a few days following the procedure. Doctors encourage such patients to become active as quickly as possible, which tends to facilitate the healing process. The instant garment, particularly when used in such post-operative situations, may offer several benefits beyond those mentioned above. For example, while the compression undergarment may offer certain direct benefits, it is also comfortable, which encourages increased mobility and physical activity. Additionally, the garment tends to flatter the figure of the patient or wearer, which may enhance their positive attitude and self esteem.

It is contemplated that the garment may be manufactured to address specific medical conditions by making the compression undergarment with fabrics that provide a specific amount, or range, of compression, corresponding with that specific medical condition. For these reasons, it is also contemplated that the compression undergarment may extend downwardly from a wearer's waist to a level near or below the ankle. In one embodiment, the compression undergarment may extend to a user's ankle, and may include a loop of material (a stirrup) 20 attached to, or made integrally with, the compression undergarment that is positioned under a wearer's foot in order to maintain the position of the compression garment on a wearer's legs, as shown in FIG. 4. In a preferred embodiment, the compression undergarment may be manufactured from material that exhibits compression in the range of between about 15 MMHG (millimeters of mercury) and about 60 MMHG. In another embodiment, the compression undergarment may extend beyond a user's heel and end adjacent the wearer's toes, as shown in FIG. 3.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment comprising: an outer pant member having a waistband and made of a stretchable material; and a compression undergarment connected to said outer pant member at said waistband, wherein said compression undergarment is made from a stretchable material having a compression measurement in the range of about 15 MMHG and 60 MMHG.
 2. The garment set forth in claim 1, further including a waist foldover extending above said waistband so that it may be disposed either in an upward position on a wearer's body, at least partially covering a wearer's stomach and lower back, or in a downward position, at least partially covering a wearers buttocks and hips.
 3. The garment set forth in claim 1, wherein said outer pant member is made from a uniform fabric.
 4. The garment set forth in claim 1, wherein said compression undergarment is made from a uniform fabric.
 5. The garment set forth in claim 1, wherein said outer pant member is made from a first uniform fabric, and said compression undergarment is made from a second uniform fabric.
 6. The garment set forth in claim 1, wherein said compression undergarment extends from said waistband to a point below a wearer's knee.
 7. The garment set forth in claim 1, wherein said compression undergarment extends from said waistband to a point adjacent a wearer's ankle.
 8. The garment set forth in claim 7, wherein said compression undergarment includes a loop of material attached to a bottom portion thereof, so that said loop may be positioned below a wearer's heel during use.
 9. The garment set forth in claim 7, wherein said compression undergarment extends from said waistband to a point adjacent a wearer's toes.
 10. A garment comprising: an outer pant member having a waistband and made of a stretchable material; and a compression undergarment connected to said outer pant member at said waistband, wherein said compression undergarment is made from a stretchable material and extends from a wearer's waist downwardly to a point below a wearer's knee.
 11. The garment set forth in claim 10, further including a waist foldover extending above said waistband so that it may be disposed either in an upward position on a wearer's body, substantially covering a wearer's stomach and lower back, or in a downward position, substantially covering a wearers buttocks and hips.
 12. The garment set forth in claim 10, wherein said outer pant member is made from a uniform fabric.
 13. The garment set forth in claim 10, wherein said compression undergarment is made from a uniform fabric.
 14. The garment set forth in claim 10, wherein said outer pant member is made from a first uniform fabric, and said compression undergarment is made from a second uniform fabric.
 15. The garment set forth in claim 10, wherein said compression undergarment extends from said waistband to a point adjacent a wearer's toes.
 16. The garment set forth in claim 10, wherein said compression undergarment includes a loop of material at a bottom portion thereof, so that said loop may be positioned below a wearer's heel during use. 